酸枣仁汤 /
Treats the following symptoms:
Calm Shen is an adjusted formula from the ancient recipes “Suan Zao Ren Tang”. It is suitable for stress-related insomnia, anxiety, palpitation and irritability. Chinese medicine believes that insomnia is a problem in the Heart. The Shen (spirit) does not stay at home (Heart) and insomnia occurs, which is related to the Yin-Yang Qi and Blood disorders of Liver, Gallbladder, Spleen, Stomach, and Kidney. Insufficiency of Yin and Blood leads to loss of Heart support and these are the main pathological changes of insomnia. Symptoms are lustreless complexion, tiredness, inability to sleep at night, palpitations and forgetfulness. Mostly due to Spleen Deficiency, failure of the Liver to store Blood, Kidney loss of Essence and Heart Blood Deficiency. Also due to excessive pressure of life and work, Liver Qi Stagnation and stagnated Qi entreating Heat, the mind gets disturbed which leads to insomnia and nightmares, upset and irritability, dry mouth. Calm Shen nourishes the Blood and calms the Shen, soothes the Liver and Qi. It is a formulation for treating insomnia and anxiety due to Deficiency of Liver Blood and Liver and Qi Stagnation.
Both Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan and Calm Shen are nourishing and tranquillizing formulas, which can be used to treat insomnia, anxiety and heart palpitations and restlessness due to Yin and Blood Deficiency. Calm Shen value the use of Suan Zao Ren (Semen Ziziphi Spinosae) to nourish the Blood and calm the mind, with Chai Hu (Radix Bupleuri) and Yu Jin (Radix Curcumae) to smooth Liver Qi, so it focuses on nourishing the Liver and Blood and calming Shen. It is suitable for Liver Qi Stagnation and insomnia, anxiety and heart palpitations caused by stress. Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan nourishes the Yin of the Heart and Kidney and clears away the Heat. It focuses on insomnia, anxiety and palpitations due to Heart and Kidney Yin Deficiency and Heat Deficiency.
Experimental Study:
Calm Shen (2 tds) and diazepam (2 mg tds) had almost the same anxiolytic effect in patients with anxiety, weakness, irritability, and insomnia. However, Calm Shen, but not diazepam, improved psychomotor performance during the daytime. No side effects were observed during the treatment with Calm Shen.
ANXIETY AND HEART PALPITATIONS
Typical symptoms:
anxiety and palpitations, dizziness and vertigo, nausea and vomiting, palpitations, sweatingDisease description:
Anxiety is a normal emotion. It’s your brain’s way of reacting to stress and potential threatening situation ahead.
It is part of life but if it gets out of control, it can become pathological and impair the quality of life. Most often fears occur in connection with heart disease, respiratory diseases or thyroid disorders. Depression or another mental illness, disorders of the nervous system and the brain can be the cause for it. Anxiety can trigger various symptoms such as heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, trembling, nausea, vomiting and sweating.
Explanation according to the Traditional Chinese Medicine:
Chinese medicine refers to anxiety and palpitations as Heart Shen disturbance, because the Heart controls the Shen. Shen refers to the higher central nervous activities which include the spirit, consciousness and thinking. Imbalance of Yin and Yang and disturbance of Heart function may cause anxiety and palpitations.
Possible syndromes causing these problems:
Liver Qi Stagnation (stress-related)
A stressful lifestyle causes Liver Qi Stagnation, which disturbs Heart function and the Shen. Symptoms are stress linked and include: anxiety, palpitations, stressed out, irritated, dry mouth.
Recommended formulas to use:
Yin Deficiency and Heat (often seen in older people)
Yin Deficiency fails to nourish the Heart, Heat disturbs the Shen, causing tension, uneasiness, edginess, insomnia with night sweating and a dry mouth.
Recommended formulas to use:
Qi and Blood Deficiency (anaemia-related)
Deficiency of Heart Qi and Blood cause lack of nourishment of Heart Shen, causing tension, uneasiness, edginess, fatigue and lethargy, pale complexion.
Recommended formulas to use:
Heat Yin, Blood and Qi Deficiency (mental disorder related)
A mental disturbance caused by Deficiency shows the following symptoms: tendency to cry easily, anxiety, absentmindedness, melancholy, moodiness, sensitivity, abnormal speech or behaviour, irritability, restlessness. Patients often suffering from mental disorders.
Recommended formulas to use:
Phlegm Disturbance (possibly withdrawal syndrome or after disease)
Phlegm obstructs the Heart and disturbs the Shen, causing anxiety and palpitations, restlessness, fullness in the chest and a poor appetite, head is not clear, brain fog, even illusion is possible.
Recommended formulas to use:
INSOMNIA (SLEEPING DISORDER)
Typical symptoms:
insomniaDisease description:
Our body and mind need sufficient sleep to regenerate and gather new strength. Anyone who sleeps badly more than three nights a week for more than a month could have a chronic sleep disorder (insomnia). Besides stress, family and health problems, sleep disorders are often the result of depression. Due to age-related sleep changes, sleep disorders occur particularly frequently after the age of 60. Those affected are tired during the day, unable to concentrate, have attention and memory problems, are easily irritable and have general weakness. As a result, performance decreases considerably.
Explanation according to the Traditional Chinese Medicine:
Chinese medicine believes that the day belongs to Yang, night belongs to Yin. Yin and Yang of the human body move with the change of the day and night, so there is a wake-up and sleep cycle. Therefore, any disorder of organ function can disturb Yin-Yang balance and cause insomnia.
Possible syndromes causing these problems:
Liver Qi Stagnation and Blood Deficiency and Heat (stress-related)
Recommended formulas to use:
Heart Yin Deficiency and Heat (often seen in older people)
Yin Deficiency fails to nourish the Heart, resulting Heat disturbs the Shen, causing difficulty sleeping, restlessness, dream-disturbed sleep, palpitations, anxiety, hot feeling in palms during sleep.
Recommended formulas to use:
Heart Blood Deficiency (anaemia-related)
Deficiency of Heart Blood leads to lack of support of Shen, causing difficulty sleeping, dream-disturbed sleep, low energy, poor concentration, pale face and a poor appetite.